Lagos targets Africa’s most productive city with fourth employment summit
The Lagos State Government has said it will use its forthcoming employment summit to develop strategies for building Africa’s most productive city through improved workforce capacity, enterprise development and access to sustainable employment.
The Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Akinyemi Bankole Ajigbotafe, made this known during a pre-summit press briefing ahead of the fourth Lagos Employment Summit scheduled for November 18, 2026.
The summit, themed “Lagos Works: Building Africa’s Most Productive City,” with the sub-theme “A Decade of Impact, the Next Frontier of Talent,” will also mark the 10th anniversary of the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund.
Ajigbotafe said the state’s employment strategy must go beyond creating jobs to developing relevant skills, supporting businesses, encouraging innovation and preparing residents for changing workplace demands.
He noted that technological advancement, artificial intelligence and digital transformation were reshaping the labour market, making it necessary for Lagos to invest in a skilled, adaptable and globally competitive workforce.
According to him, the summit will bring together policymakers, private-sector leaders, employers, investors, entrepreneurs, development partners and industry experts to discuss practical solutions to employment and enterprise development challenges.
The commissioner said the programme would feature keynote presentations, panel discussions, fireside conversations and breakout sessions, with discussions focusing on employment generation, skills acquisition, access to finance, innovation and the future of work.
He added that the government expected the summit to produce actionable recommendations, stronger partnerships and measurable outcomes that would consolidate the achievements recorded by the state over the past decade.
